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A Touch of Humanity
Common Room - Taran's Townhouse A spacious living space with three tall arched windows overlooking the circle outside. The stone walls have, like the foyer below, been plastered over so that they are a bright white, which catches the light from the windows well. Over this brightness, however, are hung tapestries in blue and green and - most notably - bookshelves. Spaces have been set in those shelves for the bard's scrolls, books, and - of course - instruments. Rugs in dark, natural tones of green and blue are laid on the polished biinwood floors, and indeed 'green and blue' sums up the decor of the area quite well - from the rugs, to the rather heavy curtains at the windows, to the furniture. The only dark accents are in the natural wood of the windowframes, doors, and floor, and the spiral wooden staircase leading down to the foyer. To the right is a door leading to the kitchen and dining area, while to the left is the door to the bedroom. Opposite the staircase is a simple stone fireplace. Taran is clearly drained, sprawled not in one of his chairs but along the floor and the rugs laid down on it. Stretched full-length, with his hands above his head, the bard almost seems to go wall-to-wall. No rest for Taran, however. The shadows flicker and in drops Gale, who as soon as she's solidified, drops down to her knees, clutching at her shoulder. More than a little blood has stained the tunic, and she looks paper white, just short of collapsing. The man is nothing if not a survivor, rolling clear the moment the air near him is disturbed. "Shh," he says quickly. "No blood on the floor." Half leading, half carrying her into the kitchen. "There is water." Kitchen and Dining Room - Taran's Townhouse An airy chamber of arched windows, the polished biinwood plank flooring serves to unite the dining and cooking spaces. The kitchen section's walls have been left bare, revealing soot-black stone; the kitchen is equipped with a stove, oven, wash basin and storage pantry. In the dining area, the walls have been plastered white, with tapestries in blue and green, and features a table and several chairs. Gale leans in against Taran, shivering quietly. "If you can patch me up, I'll go again," she murmurs. "Don't... don't want to get you in trouble." "If you can teleport out of here, then staying will not put either of us in danger," says Taran, settling her in a chair. "But I do receive visitors here, and it seems the good Arbiter wishes to interrogate me. Possibly over tea, possibly with guards, with her it is always a bit of a gamble." And all the while he rambles, he gets cloths from cabinets and damps them in the washbasin. Carefully tugging off her tunic he starts to clean the wound again, pressing the cloth where he can to halt the bleeding. "You will need to sleep. Fortunately, tomorrow I hunt wildlings - so no one will be seeking me here." Gale hisses softly as the cloth presses into her wound, "That stings. You see, this is what compassion will get you. A hole in your shoulder, and becoming one of the most wanted people in Fastheld." She cradles her head in her hand, rubbing at her eyes tiredly. "I want... I want to see you before you go hunting," she murmurs. Taran nods. "It always stings," he says. "There may be help for you, if you will take it." When he's satisfied the area's cleaned again, a rummage through cabinets produces a jar of salve which is then applied to the wound. "You will be weak for a few days...do you wish to die, to kill?" That last is a bit wistful, regretful. "Some things are worth dying for," Gale murmurs. "But not this." She scowls a tiny bit. "I... I can't do this alone. If there's help to be had, I might take it, depending on who it was from." Taran sighs. "He will not help you kill," he says, going now to retrieve a roll of bandages. "But there are other ways, more effective for what you have said you wanted and less dangerous to the mages about you. If you are willing." With care, he begins to replace the lost bandaging. Gale smiles weakly, "I'd be willing to talk to him at the very least," she says quietly. "Is this the mysterious guest that came to visit while you were trying to stop the bleeding the first time around?" Taran smiles. "Yes," he says. "And if you wish, he will speak to you. He is the only mage I know that is definitely stronger than you." Bandages re-wound, he nods at his finished work. "There; now it is only to drink water and sleep. You are welcome to my bed if you wish it. I can sleep on the floor if the Watchmen have left you with no taste for company." "I felt his strength," Gale murmurs. "If I had not been so distracted by that, it would have probably been much harder to knock me out. I would very much like to meet him, to, if nothing else, look at him face to face." She shudders a bit at the mention of the Watchmen. "Filth, daring to touch me. My original intention was merely to teleport myself out, but I could not resist retaliation. He groped my breasts one too many times." "I did warn them," Taran replies mildly. He reaches into his belt pouch, taking out a gem. "This is his rune. When you are strong enough to leave here, throw it straight up and wait." He pauses. "I would...like it back, after you have spoken to him. His tower may be the safest place for you, if you are willing to use other means to achieve your ends." Gale takes the gem, running her fingers lightly over the rune before nodding. "I will keep it safe," she murmurs, rising to her feet. She wobbles a bit, and then sinks back down. "If he has other options, then I will listen to him," She says quietly. "So long as the end is the same." "I think the two of you will need to talk to be sure of that," says Taran quietly, offering his arms for support. "My bed is soft, and the room is dark and quiet. Come and sleep." Bedroom - Taran's Townhouse A turret-shaped space jutting from the common room, the walls in this room have been left relatively bare - revealing blocks of smoke black stone. These have been overlaid not with the white plaster of the foyer and sitting room, but with tapestries in rich, dark tones of royal blue and pine green. In the center of this circular room is the canopied bed, with heavy curtains that can be drawn about it. A wardrobe is set against one wall, and chests, and by the room's window is set a writing desk and chair. Rugs in the same colors as the tapestries cover the biinwood floor, rendering the room dark and quiet - though even here, should the curtains be drawn back, the room fills with light well enough. Gale totters with Taran into the bedroom, leaning heavily against him. "I do not think I could be as... vigorous as I usually am. Not tonight. My body aches." Taran laughs, pulling back the blankets. "As if I would be so crass as to ask," he says. "In. If you wish, I will sleep next to you - if not, the floor is fine." Gale nods, "I think I would like it if you slept next to me." She sits herself on the edge of the bed to tug off her boots, which proves to be an interesting task while trying to use only one arm. Taran waves her off, and begins to undress her - not teasingly, but carefully. Boots, trousers...the bloodied tunic is likely still in the kitchen. "Why're you doing this?" Gale inquires, looking up at Taran, her hands dropping back to her sides. "You could be charged with treason, for helping me. For even taking care of my wounds." Taran pauses, then, regarding Gale thoughtfully. "As I could not stand by and let you kill the woman," he says. "So I can not stand by and watch you kill yourself. You have done terrible things. That must be paid for, somehow. Redressed. But that is your balance to create. For mine...if you do not kill again, do not torture in this way again...and I have had *any* part in seeing that change...how is that treason? Can I only serve Fastheld by harming another mage?" Gale sighs quietly, scootching back slowly onto the bed. "I killed two people. Fled from arrest. Your companion spoke the truth. I am a fugitive, and they will hunt me down, eventually. You risk much by sharing your home and bed, even for one night. I will leave tomorrow, and let you go back to whatever it was you were going prior to me. Let me remove the tracking rune from the necklace. That way no one will be able to question if I have been in contact with you." "It is my risk to take," Taran replies firmly, pulling the blankets over her. "Gale Frostwind is a wanted fugitive...but perhaps Gale can die, and you can begin again as someone else. Talk to Faeyd, please. Perhaps he can find a way for you." Finally, he begins to undress himself, getting into bed on the other side with a langourous stretch. "Shades, I'm tired...and sorry, Gale, that I cannot seem to be all that you need." Gale smiles weakly, "I need a friend. I would wish for more, but even if you could offer it, it would be wrong of me to ask. I could not let you risk yourself on account of me. What you do already is to much. Besides, I think I have read you well enough to understand you offer me sex and companionship. Nothing more." Taran laughs tiredly. "Accurate enough," he says. "Consider what I risk to offer you what I do. It is perhaps not a light thing for either of us...but it can wait until you are stronger and I am more awake, this heavy discussion." Category:Logs